Numerical Investigation of the Flexural Behavior of RC Beams Strengthened with Polyurea Coated Glass Textile Reinforced Mortar
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study numerically examines the flexural behavior of reinforced concrete beams retrofitted using a hybrid system comprising textile-reinforced mortar (TRM) and polyurea coating through finite element analysis. Nine beam models were generated in ABAQUS to analyze how strengthening levels influence stiffness, crack control, load capacity, and ductility parameters. Numerical results indicated that one TRM layer with polyurea coating enhances peak load by nearly 150–180%, while two TRM layers achieve an increase of about 200-270%, depending on the concrete strength used. The initial stiffness for strengthened beams also improves significantly to nearly 2–3 times that of unstrengthened models. This study is purely numerical and has not been calibrated with any experimental program; hence results should be interpreted in this light. All interfaces (steel-concrete, concrete-TRM, and TRM-polyurea) were modeled using perfect bond assumptions (embedded + tie), representing an upper-bound strengthening response without slip or debonding. Under these idealized conditions, the hybrid TRM-polyurea system provides consistent improvements in crack confinement, peak load, stiffness, and deformation stability for all levels of concrete strength.
Source: Civil Engineering Beyond Limits
Language: English
Subfield: Building and Construction
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4417072438